Apparatus for preparing supersaturated solutions



Nov. 23 ,1926. 1,608,251

- A. M. SHOCK ET AL APPARATUS FOR PREPARING SUPERSATURATED SOLUTIONS.F'iled Dec. 8 1922 non n cob one 0.00 000000000 ooooucoocoaooocaoufluoououoooo 2 ATTORNEY Patented Nov. 23, 1926.

UNITED TATE 1,68,251 rarer car es.

ALEXANDER M. SHOOK, OF TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA, AND GEORGE E. HAINAN,OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNORS TO AQUAZOIQ'E LABORATORIES, 1116.,{)F LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, A CORPORATION OF CALIFORNIA.

. APPARATUS FOR PREPARINQ} Application filed'December 8, 1922, SerialThis invention relates to apparatus for dissolving gases in liquids, andmore particularly to apparatus for selectively dissolving gases inwater.

This invention has for its general object the provision of an apparatusin which the parts are arranged for bothimproved structural andfunctional cooperation in the production of the solution desired in anefficient and economical manner.

Another object is to provide improved apparatus adapted to produce andmaintain the critical conditions for the proper periods which yieldsolutions of gases having high degrees of supersaturation.

Another object is to provide apparatus adapted to produce solutions ofatmospheric oxygen containing as high as -18 cubic centimeters of oxygenper liter of water, the oxygen being held in a very retentive man ner.

Other objects of this invention will in part be hereinafter specificallypointed out and in'part obvious from the arrangements and constructionshere set forth.

The invention accordingly comprises the features of construction,combinations of elements, and arrangement of parts, which will beexemplified in the construction hereinafter set forth and the scope ofthe application of which will be indicated in the claims. I For a morecomplete understanding of the nature and advantages of this inventionreference shouldbe had to the following detailed description, whichdescribes the best illustrative embodiments of this invention at presentknown to us, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing in which:

Figure 1 shows an arrangement of apparatus for carrying out the steps ofthe metl'iod, parts being broken away in order better to illustrate theconstruction:

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary portion of the apparatus showing a modification;and

Fig.3 is a sectional view taken on the lines 33 of Fig. 1;

Referring now to the drawing, 10 denotes a substantially closed tank orcontainer which is adapted to be filled with a body of water or otherliquid, whose level is indicated at 11, which is to be treated with gasin order to produce the solution desired. In

order to treat the water with a large volume SUPERSATURATED SQLUTIONS.

No. 605,682, and in Canada July 10,

of finely divided gas a cruciform distributor shown at 12, having apluralityof fine orifices, is disposed at the bottom of the container10. This distributor 12 receives the gas from the supply main 13 whichleads from the opening at 14 in the top of a gas washer 15.- The to bewashed passes through the washing fluid (preferably water) whose levelis indicated at 16' from a suitable nozzle 17 disposed below the liquidsurface 16, the gas being suppliedfroin the n'1ain1S leading from thepump or other means 19 for forcing over a body of gas. The pump at 19 ispreferably power'actuated; an electric motor M here beingindicated asthe power driving element. The pump at 19 forcing gas into the container1O draws it from any suitable source; the source here ind' poppet valvebeing provided at 20 to control the air inlet to the pump. The airdisplaced by the pump 19 is thus forced through the main 18 into thewasher 15. Here, as it issues from the nozzle 17, it passes throughthe'washing water, and from thence through the main 13 to thedistributor "1 2. The washer 15 preferably has' a drain as shown at 21.

The supply of water to the container 10 is provided by means 'ofa pipeconnection 25 having a downwardly projecting branch 26 which enters'atthe top and reachesjnearly to the bottom of the container. Theconnection 25 leads from a suitable source of water supply andpreferably -;is 'providedfwith'a filter as shown at 27 to remove sandand other foreign matter before the water enters the container 10,thereby initially preparing the water for its subsequent treatment inthe container. 1 A valve at 28 is disposed in the pipe 25 to control theadmission of water into the container 10. A second valve 29 is disposedin an extension of the pipe 25 which is normally closed, but when openedwhile the valve 28 is closed permits the water in the container 10 to beforced out through it. It is for this reason that the'depending branch26 is made to reach substantially to the bottom of the container 10,thus permitting the withdrawal of substantially all the Water treated inthe container. I

Check valves 30 and 31 are provided in the mains 18 andlS, respectively,to preicatedis the atmosphere,

vent the passage of gas or liquid out of the container therethrough. Avalve 32 is also provided in the main 13 which is normally open butwhich is closed when it is desired to draw oil the treated solution fromthe container 10. In order that the apparatus shall be adapted to havethe solution drawn oil without altering the pipe connections, the

which will force the liquid. out when the valve 29 is openand the valve28 is closed. During this operation, the pump 19 is preferably run atreduced speed.

i As different gases have different deg ees t solubility in variousliquids, advantage of this fact is taken in order selectively todissolve particular gases from the atmos phere or other suitable body ofgas in the liquid to be treated. It the liquid in the container is waterand the body oi gas with which it is to be treated of atmosphericorigin, solutions of oxygen having a high degree of supersaturation maybe invariably produced by passing a finely divided body of air throughthe water, oxygen having a greater degree of solubility in the waterthan any of the other atmospheric gases. By maintaining, for the properperiod, the critical conditions under which dissolution takes place, asolution supersaturated with oxygen may be produced.

In the practice of supersaturating liquids, especially water, with thisinvention, a body of water which has been filtered is run into thecontainer 10 by opening the valve 28. The proper height of the water inthereontainer may be readily ascertained from the gauge glass shown at37. When the container is properly filled, a body of atmospheric air iscaused to pass therethrough by operating the pump 19. The air drawn infrom the atmosphere by the pump passes. out of the nozzle 17 through thewashing water in the washer and from thence through the main 13 to thedistributor 12, the valve at being normally closed' The body of airentering the distributor 12 issues therefrom as a plurality of jets,thegas passing in a finely divided state upwardly through the water whichselectively dissolves gases therefrom. The gentle and continuousagitation of the water, by the pulsating jets, materially aids ineffecting the solution. When a suflicient head of pressure obtains inthe contain-er. as ascertained from the gauge 41, the valve at H) isopened to permit the escape of the undissolved gas accumulating in thetop of the container. This escape, when 1,eoe,251

started, is substantially continuous. To produce the desired solutlon,the critical conditions of temperature and pressure must be maintainedthroughout the necessary period of treatment. The water in the containershould be preferably below 60 degrees F., while the head of pressure inthe container should be preferably in the neighborhood of 135 lbs. The.periodot treatment should be in the neighborhood of one-half an hour,This will yield supersaturated solutions of oxygen in the watercontaining as high as 48 cubic centimeters per liter of water.

in Fig 2 a modified form is shown in which the valve escape is or thesafety valve type as shown at 40. here this form of valve escape is usedthe head of pressure is automatically maintained constant.

In order to withdraw the solution, and bottle it unimpaired, it ispreferably withdrawn steadily and without undue-agitation from thecontainer 10, while at a pressure somewhat reduced from that at whichsaturation is effected. The pressure is reduced quickly so that thesolution-is brought substantially to a condition otequilibriuin as it ispassed to the vessel in which it is to be stored or placed preparatoryto use. By means of the valves provided at 32 and 35 a desired re ducedpressure, whlch can also be ascertained from the gauge ll, is maintainedabove the solution while it is withdrawn. A connec tion is provided,which leads *from the valve 29 to the place where the solution isfinally put into the storing vessel. This is conveniently accomplished,as shown in the drawing, by means of a bottling machine 46 which has afilling nozzle 47 for filling b0ttles L8 and means for hermeticallysealing them, Any standard machine of this character may be used inthiscombination.

'As many changes could be made in the 7 above construction and manyapparently widely ditlerent embodimeutsof this invention could be madewithout departing from the scope thereof, it is intended that all mattercontained in the abovedescription or shown in the accompanying drawingsshall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

It is also to be understood that the lanused in the following claims isintended to cover all of the generic and specific features of theinvention herein described' andall statements oi the scope of theinvention, wh ch, as a matter of language, might be said to falltherebetween.

Having described our invention, what we claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent,is': i f

1. Apparatus adapted to supersaturate liquids with gases comprising, incombina tion. a closed liquid container, means ex tending to a pointadjacent the bottom thereof for fillingsaid container with a body 0tliquid prepared t'or saturation, means for forcing continuously a finelydivided volume of gas through the liquid in the container, means forpermitting the constant escape of gas from the top of the containerafter a predetermined pressure has been attained therein, and meanscommon with said filling means for withdrawing the supersaturatedliquid.

2. Apparatus adapted to supersaturate liquids with gases comprising, incombination, a closed liquid container, means for forcing a finelydivided volume of air into the container adjacent the bottom thereof,means for washing the air preparatory to its passage into thecontainer,- means permitting the constant escape of undissolvedconstituents of the air after a predetermined pressure has been attainedin the container, and means having a single con nection extending to apoint adjacent to the bottom of said container arranged both to supplyto and to withdraw liquid from the container.

3. Apparatus adapted to supersaturate liquids with gases comprising, incombina tion, a. closed iquid container, permanent pipe connections forsupplying to the container a prepared body of water, means for forcingcontinuously a finely divided volume of air through the water, means forpermitting the escape of undissolved gaseous constituents of the airfrom the top of the means connecting with said permanent pipeconnections for withdrawing and bottling the solution at a pressuresomewhat reduced below said predetermined pressure.

Apparatus adapted to supersaturate liquids with gases comprising, incombination, a closed liquid container, means for filtering andsupplying water to be treated to the container, a power driven pump forforcing a body of air into the container, a Washer for washing the airprior to its entry into the container, a connection having a distrihutorfor passing the air in a finely divided state through the water beingtreated, said connection having a branch adapted to supply pressure tothe surface of the water, means atfording the substantially constantescape of undissolved gaseous constituents of the air from saidcontainer, and a bottling machine operatively connected to said conetainer and arranged to withdraw and bottle, at a pressure somewhatreduced below that at which the treatment takes place, the solutionproduced in said container.

In testimony whereof we affix our signatures.

ALEXANDER M. SHOOK. GEORGE R. HANNAN.

